Barbed strip



BARBED STRIP Filed June 5, 1967 Fig.

/A///A/70L Jamar G [ao/Zau/vwo United States Patent 3,455,539 BARBED STRIP James G. Loofbourrow, 549 Paulette, La Canada, Calif. 91011 Filed June 5, 1967, Ser. No. 643,638 Int. Cl. E04h 17/04 U.S. Cl. 256-8 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A barbed strip is described herein having general utility, both for military and for civilian purposes. The strip is an improvement over the usual barbed wire which has been used for many years in the construction of fences, barricades, barriers, enclosures and the like. The barbed strip forming the subject matter of the disclosure is composed of a resilient material, such as tempered steel, having barbs stamped out on each edge of the strip, or otherwise attached thereto. The barbs extend out from the plane of the strip, and they have a configuration such that they are flattened back into the plane when the strip is wound into a reel.

Background of the invention As is well known, barbed wire has been used for many years in the construction of fences and other barriers. The usual barbed wire comprises two metal wires twisted together, with short lengths of wire spaced along the twisted wires and extending transversely thereto. The short lengths of wire have sharp points so as to form barbs.

The usual prior art barbed wire is well suited for its intended purpose, However, it is difficult to handle, and it is bulky to ship.

Summary of the invention The barbed strip of the present invention is advantageous in that it can perform with the same degree of effectiveness all the functions of the prior art barbed wire. In addition, however, the barbed strip of the present invention can be coiled into a compact reel, as mentioned above, with the barbs flattened for convenience in shipping, and with no hazard to persons handling the material.

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a strip prepared in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, whereby barbs are formed in the edges of the strip;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view, like FIGURE 1, but with the barbs bent out from the plane of the strip, so as to be in position properly to perform their function; and

FIGURE 3 is a cross section substantially on the line 33 of FIGURE 2.

3,455,539 Patented July 15, 1969 Description of one embodiment of the invention The barbed strip 10 of the invention, as mentioned above, may be composed of tempered spring steel, for example, 40-43 Rockwell C hard. The barbs 12 are stamped in the edge of the strip, as shown in FIGURE 1, and are subsequently bent out from the plane of the strip, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. These barbs can be hook-shaped, as shown, for increased holding capability. The barbs are resilient and exceedingly tough.

When the strip 10 is rolled as a reel, the barbs 12 are compressed down into the plane of the strip, and the resulting reel takes up about one-twentieth of the space of the equivalent amount of usual prior art barbed wire. The barbs 12 are stamped out in the illustrated configuration, with void areas 14 being formed between the barbs and the body of the strip, as shown in FIG- URE 1. These void areas reduce any tendency for tearing when the strip is twisted or pulled after installation.

It will be appreciated that during the forming process, the barbs 12 are permanently deformed into the bent-out configurations of FIGURES 2 and 3, in which they extend out from the plane of the strip. The resilient nature of the material permits the barbs to lie flat in the plane of the strip when the strip is coiled into a reel. However, when the reel is unrolled, the hooks immediately spring out and reassume their operative positions, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3.

What is claimed is:

1. A barbed strip member comprising: an elongated fiat strip formed of a resilient material, and a plurality of integral resilient hook-shaped barbs formed along the edges of said strip, each of said barbs a long one edge of said strip being bent into an arcuate configuration to extend out from the plane of said strip on one side of said strip and each of said barbs along the other edge of said strip being bent into an arcuate configuration to extend out from the plane of said strip on the other side of said strip, and each of said barbs defining a void area with said strip when such barb is compressed down into the plane of said strip which provides an arcuate edge to reduce any tendency for tearing when the strip is twisted or pulled.

2. The barbed strip member defined in claim 1 in which said elongated fiat strip and said barbs are formed of spring steel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 191,913 6/1877 Barnes 2568 1,142,126 6/1915 Sturtevant 2566 2,940,732 6/ 1960 MacChesney et al. 256-2 X FOREIGN PATENTS 2,973 6/ 1883 Great Britain.

DENNIS L. TAYLOR, Primary Examiner 

